Software claiming to ease the pain of completing COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessments is evolving continuously. And while it may not perform the assessment, such software will serve to semi-automate the process, and save valuable time. Due to the inherent variations of a task that demands the control of hazardous substances, a ‘one size fits all’ procurement approach is unlikely to work. That means customising the software is usually necessary to optimise the COSHH assessment process to suit companies of different types, sizes and sector.
Customisable audit templates are a key feature of the software platform offer from EcoOnline, for example, where ‘COSHH risk assessments’ is one of several chemical safety software modules. The tip here is to keep it simple and relevant, as an overly complex COSHH assessment template will likely fail. “So often, when a company needs to write COSHH assessments, the first thing it does is an internet search for a COSHH template,” says Dermot Dinan, sales director at EcoOnline. “They download what they think is a good one and start using it. That might be OK if you only have three or four assessments to write, but for companies that need to write 200 you need to spend time asking a few questions, such as: ‘Is everything in this template relevant to my company?’ and ‘Can I make it more efficient?’”
The trick here is not about cutting corners in terms of performing the assessment, but reducing the amount of time needed to write it up. “An example I always use is spill control,” says Dinan. “Instead of leaving spill control blank or as free text in your COSHH template, put in a tick box with the responses available, such as ‘Use the spill kit in the blue wheelie bin’ or ‘the sand in car park A’, or ‘Contact the emergency services’. It’s not a case or hard-coding it into every assessment, but building it into your template. Then, when you write your assessment, you can look at the potential hazards and quantities of substances used; if you have a spill, which of these controls would you choose? Try to make the template as efficient and relevant as possible.”
A simple, pertinent, user-friendly template can make a big difference to COSHH assessment efficiencies. “If a plant has 200 COSHH assessments to write, it might be best to design a template, write 10 assessments, then go back and review the template before continuing,” he says.
MODULAR SOLUTIONS
Many software developers in this space offer a variety of ‘base’ packages supported by supplementary modules in accordance with user requirements. Alcumus, for example, offers four base COSHH software packages, beginning with Sypol Core, which facilitates self-service implementation at the plant’s own pace.
Next in the pecking order is Sypol Professional, which introduces a virtual set-up service to maximise the system’s value, as well as a virtual compliance survey to benchmark the plant’s existing COSHH risks. Sypol Expert replaces the virtual compliance survey with an on-site process, while Sypol Enterprise adds on-site mobilisation support to embed the system into the plant’s health and safety strategy.
Among those to recently adopt Sypol is APS Group, the UK’s largest supplier of tomatoes to high street retailers, with responsibility for approximately 30% of the UK’s total production. Five UK sites (one of which is shown in the main image) produce 4.2 million punnets of tomatoes per week at peak output.
“Each site has to look after its own health, safety and environmental (SHE) requirements, and my role is to guide managers in that task,” explains Gary Swayne, group SHE manager at APS Group. “In the tomato-growing process we have a number of substances, around 20 to 30, which we use as fertilisers. But as with any operation, those ...increase with all the oils, greases and small ancillary products on site. Each one needs a COSHH assessment.”
As a consequence of ongoing changes in legislation, APS also recognised that it needed a solution that would help with the management and updating of all of its COSHH assessments to ensure compliance. “When we did our research as part of our audits we came out to about 300 products, which was a surprise to everyone,” says Swayne. “At last count, we have 1,357 COSHH assessments based on those 300 products. But if I look at the number of changes we make - each week there are up to 30 updates – it would be difficult to retain control without something like Sypol.”
Although APS operates in what it would describe as a relatively safe industry, it still has a responsibility to complete those assessments. “At one hour per COSHH assessment, we are talking about thousands of hours of work if we didn’t have Sypol, which is why we needed help,” says Swayne.
Alcumus worked with APS to implement a bespoke COSHH management solution. Implementing Sypol meant that the company had an online tool. The software flags when COSHH assessments need updating in line with new legislation.
“Sypol is accessible, easy to use and intuitive in many ways,” says Swayne.
In summary, any workplace that uses oils, lubricants, coolants, adhesives, paints, chemicals or cleaning products is clearly able to benefit from the efficiencies that COSHH software provides through usable, relevant and compliant risk assessments. However, the actual assessment of risks to staff health from hazardous substances demands activity-specific knowledge, which of course benefits from expert human input.
BOX: Cloud-based RAMS software
The newly released CHAS RAMS, powered by HandsHQ, provides contractors that are members of the construction supply chain group CHAS with web-based risk assessment and method statement (RAMS).
HandsHQ is an assessment platform for high-risk work said to enable users to create better RAMS in less time, anywhere and on any device, without the need for training or technical expertise.
The cloud-based platform is said to offer a library of risk and COSHH assessments covering specialist contractor activities that include electrical, plumbing and HVAC. HandsHQ reports that users can use it to create risk assessments customised for each project.
Ian McKinnon, CHAS managing director, says the system provides customers with a straightforward process for producing high-quality RAMS.
He adds: “We’re also working towards enabling contractors to create and submit RAMS during the accreditation application or renewal process, further simplifying the CHAS accreditation experience.”